Leadership & Character | Spartanburg, SC

A group of Wake Foresters gathered over dinner in Spartanburg, SC on November 7, 2018 to discuss Leadership & Character.

Overview and highlights of our Call to Conversation:

“Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality.” – CS Lewis

• The stories shared were personal and insightful about a time when great character and leadership were exhibited. Throughout the duration of dinner, we discussed the importance of having educated conversations with opposing views which emphasizes our motto of Pro-Humanitate and enriches our knowledge of topics and ideas.
• We acknowledged that sometimes good people make bad decisions, but the difference is that someone with strong character has a desire to right the wrong and change for the better.
• We pondered questions such as
  • Is character instinctual?
  • What is the connection between leadership and character and can there be one without the other?
• A major theme throughout the conversation was self – sacrifice; putting others’ needs before your own and never expecting credit for your actions. The desire to make the world a better place and never receiving recognition.
• We concluded that high moral character equals strong leaders, that they go hand and hand. Leadership and character affects all individuals from CEOs to Moms and Dads. In all scenarios, a person of strong character leads by example and stands up for what is right whether that means following the rules or breaking protocol. Doing the right thing sometimes means going against societal norms and not taking the easy way out.